Learn these prefixes from Latin. * the most productive.  Add additional examples:

* 1. a-, ab-, abs- away from, off, badly [The usual form is ab;

a- is used before m, p, v; abs before c, t.]

Examples:

• abrupt (broken off)
• avert (turn away) abstract (drawn away)

* 2. ad- to, toward, against, intensely [ad appears also as ac-

(before c, q), af-, ag-, al-, an-, ap-, ar-, as-, at-, and a- (before sc, sp, st, gn).]

Examples:

• advent (a coming towards)
• accurate (attended to)
• annotate (add notes to) assent (feel to, agree)

3. ambi- around, about, on both sides [amb- before vowels]

Examples:

• ambiguous (going around, uncertain)
• ambidextrous (right-handed on both sides)

* 4. ante- before, in front of, ahead of

Example: antecede (go before)

* 5. circum- around

Examples:

• circumcise (cut around)
• circumvent (come around)

6. cis- on this side of

Examples:

• cismontane (on this side of the mountains)
• cislunar (on this side of the moon)

* 7. com- with, together [com- before b, p, m; cor- before r; col- before l; co- before h, gn and usually before vowels; con- before all other consonants.]

Examples:

• colloquium (a speaking together)
• corrode (gnaw thoroughly)
• combine (put two things together)

* 8. de- down from, off, utterly; this prefix may imply removal or cessation and it may give a bad (or negative) sense to the word.

Examples:

• devolve (roll down) deformed (ill/badly formed)
• defoliate (remove the leaves) destroy (build down)

* 9. dis- apart, in different directions, at intervals; it can also have a negative force. [di- before voiced consonants; dif- before f; sometimes de- under French influence: depart, defy]

Examples:

• differ (bear/carry apart)
• dispel (push in different directions)
• discursive (tending to run in different directions)

* 10. ex-, e- out from, out of, off, away, away from, thoroughly [ef before f]

Examples:

• event (outcome)
• effect (make thoroughly)
• extol (raise out)
• expect (look out, await)

11. extra- {variant, extro-} outside, beyond

Example: extraordinary (beyond the rank)

* 12. in-(1) in, into, on, toward, against [il- before l; im- before b, m, p; ir- before r; sometimes en- under French influence.]

Examples:

• incise (cut into)
• impel (push on)
• infringe (break in)

* 13. in-(2) not, lacking, without [i before gn; other changes as in-(1)]

Examples:

• illegal (unlawful)
• ignoble (not noble)

* 14. inter- among, between, at intervals, mutually, each other [intel- before l]

Examples:

15. infra- below, beneath, inferior to, after, later

Example: infrared

16. intra- in, within, inside of

Example: intramural (within the walls)

17. intro- in, into, inward

Example: introduce (lead into)

18. juxta- near, beside

Example: juxtapose (put beside)

* 19. ob- toward, against, across, in the way of, opposite to, down, for, out of, intensely [o- before m; oc- before c; of- before f; op- before p.]

• Examples:
• oblong (long across)
• offer (bring for)
• obdurate (hardened against)

* 20. per- through, by, thoroughly, away, badly, to the bad [pel- before l]

Examples:

• permeate (pass through)
• perfidy (bad faith)
• pellucid (thoroughly clear/bright)

* 21. post- behind, after

Examples:

* 22. pre- [Latin prae-] before, in advance, in front of, headfirst, at the end

Examples:

• precede (go before)
• pretend (spread in front, give as an excuse)

23. preter- [Latin praeter] past, beyond

Examples:

• preterite (gone past)
• preternatural (beyond what is natural)
• preterpostmodernism (beyond the post-modernist period)

* 24. pro- forth, for, forward, publicly, instead of

[before vowels, prod-]

Examples:

• proclaim (shout publicly/forth)
• proceed (go forward)

* 25. re- back, again, against, behind; can have both intensive and negative force [red- before vowels]

Examples:

26. retro- backwards, behind

Example: retrogressive (tending to step/move backwards)

* 27. se- aside, apart, away [sed- before vowels]

Examples:

• secure (away from/free from care)
• seduce (lead apart)

28. sine- without

Example: sinecure (without [the] care [of souls])

* 29. sub- under, inferior, secondary, less than, in place of, secretly [suc- before c; suf- before f; sug- before g; sum- before m; sup- before p; sur- before r; sometimes sus- before c, p, t.]

Example: subtract (draw from under)

30. subter- beneath, secretly

Example: subterfuge (evasion, fleeing in secret)

* 31. super- over, above, excessively, beyond [sur- under French influence: surtax, surrealism, surcharge]

Example: superimpose (put over/on top)

32. supra- above, over, greater than, preceding

Example: suprarenal (above the kidney)

* 33. trans- across, over, beyond, through, very [tra-, tran-]

Examples:

• transport (carry across/over)
• transgress (step across)